Freedom of Access & Privacy
The Library Policy on Freedom of Access and Privacy is drawn from principles articulated in the University Senate’s Policy File (Freedom of Expression), the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, and other documents from the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom.
Freedom of Access
The Library shall maintain an open stacks policy allowing any member of the university or public community access to our print and media collection. Materials kept in storage and closed stacks shall be accessible through timely and regular retrieval by Library staff for all patrons.
Internet access will be provided for SDSU affiliates and community users. There will be no blocking software installed on any computers (except to prevent virus contamination). In the case of proprietary software and sites governed by distribution licensing, access will be governed by these legal contracts.
SDSU affiliates will be able to access the internet from any public computer in the Library. There will be no time limits governing internet access for SDSU affiliates.
Privacy of Access
In accordance with the California Public Records Act, all library registration and circulation records are confidential and cannot be disclosed to any person, local, state, or federal agency without a legal requirement or court order.
The Library collects personal data in order to provide patrons with services, comply with licensing and other legal agreements, and manage our collections. This data may include but is not limited to:
- addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses
- identifiers and roles that determine library privileges
- records of checkouts and requests to meet patron needs and facilitate services
- IP addresses, timestamps, and other information relating to electronic transactions that are needed to comply with licensing and other legal requirements
- use of Archives and Special Collections materials, in order to fulfill requests to access collections and ensure the integrity and safety of those collections
- registration and attendance records at Library events and classes
Our practice is to minimize the collection of personal data, to secure and protect all personal information collected, and to discard or de-identify it as soon as is practical as determined by operational needs and retention schedules of SDSU. Although we cannot guarantee similar protection by our vendors and partners. The Information Technology Security Office reviews all softwares and services requested by the Library. Please refer to specific vendor and publisher privacy and security policies to determine these policies.
We derive statistics from personal data in order to monitor and improve services and aggregate/delete any personal information that is not needed. Examples of statistical data derived from personal information include:
- Collection usage statistics to assist in future collection development
- Class attendance statistics to inform impact of our instructional program
- Room reservation statistics to inform our space planning
- Aggregate data (stripped of identifying characteristics) on the Library website and resource usage in order to improve website usability and collection relevance.
- Aggregated desktop usage statistics to inform technology investments
SDSU Police Department maintains a security camera system throughout campus, including many cameras in the library, which are recording 24/7. The library does not retain or review security footage, which is under the purview of Campus Police and CSU Systemwide Security Camera Policy. Recording in the Library space is governed by the Filming & Photography Policy.
User Data Rights:
- Users have the right to access and correct their personal information held by SDSU and CSU.
- Users can request information about the purpose of data collection and how their data is used.
Requests for information about the Library’s data collection and retention should be directed via email to [email protected].
This policy was updated on March 19th, 2026 and was derived from the CSU and CalTech Library privacy policies.